The final stage of air-to-air missile integration trials for India’s domestic TEJAS MK-1A fighter has been completed, marking a significant milestone before delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The program now depends on Astra fire being approved by the Safety Review Board, which will confirm the aircraft’s complete weapon capability.
Test flights of the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) are now being conducted in the eastern sector as part of an evaluation process. These tests serve as a prelude to the integration of Astra, which is essential for providing the TEJAS with a fighting punch that is beyond visual range (BVR). In order to improve dependability, HAL and DRDL have since modified the fire-control software after an earlier Astra test on TEJAS in March failed.
Successful missile fire, according to HAL Chairman Dr. DK Sunil, is the platform’s most rigorous test since it demonstrates not just weapon alignment and avionics but also the aerodynamic impacts on the aircraft while carrying combat loads. The “pinnacle” of MK-1A testing prior to operational induction will be Astra’s clearance.
The Defence Ministry’s August acceptance of 97 more TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, valued at ₹66,000 crore, strengthened HAL’s manufacturing schedule. This purchase expands upon the previous agreement for 83 MK-1A aircraft. HAL said that following the conclusion of missile trials, aircraft deliveries would start in October.
In the past, progress had been bogged down by supply chain issues involving the GE F404 engines that power the aircraft. Since then, GE Aerospace has stabilized deliveries; three engines have been received, seven more are scheduled for delivery by December, and twenty are anticipated the following year. HAL acknowledged that 24 aircraft are under final construction and that 10 aircraft have previously been completed, including two with new engines.
Trainer variations are also on the production line. The next batch of 29 trainers will be built to MK-1A requirements, with modern electronic warfare (EW) suites and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars, whereas the previous 10 were built to MK-1 standards. This guarantees that training aircraft have the same combat capability as the front line.
Until bigger projects like TEJAS MK-2 and the AMCA mature, the IAF relies on the TEJAS MK-1A to fill squadron gaps. MK-1A’s lethality is raised to a contemporary 4.5-generation standard by the combined use of the upgraded AESA radar, integrated EW suite, ASRAAM, and Astra missiles.
In response to the IAF’s worries over delays, HAL stated its confidence that deliveries, beginning in October 2025, will go smoothly and on a large scale. Over the next ten years, the TEJAS MK-1A is expected to serve as the foundation of India’s domestic fighter fleet, with 180 aircraft presently approved for induction.
